AOS Interview Review - Norfolk, VA (August 23, 2007)

[misa 2]

(also posting this in the actual reviews section)

My interview (adjusting from a K3) was scheduled for today at 9 a.m. at the Norfolk, VA district office. I had all my documents prepared that were asked for in the interview letter and more (see list here). I really didn't know what to expect as far as the personality and style of the officer since it varies so much but I read as many reviews as I could from Norfolk as well as other offices. It sounds like this couple had the same officer.

We arrived at the office at 8:45 a.m. and had to go through security. No cellphones or cameras allowed of course. After getting through security they told me to take my interview letter and place it in the AOS box that is to the left of the Infopass windows. I put mine on top and could see that there were about 10 others in there as well and then had a seat.

After about 5 minutes, I was called by Ms. Patterson (not sure if her title is "Agent" or "Officer") who led my husband and I through a door to the left of the Infopass windows and down the hall to her office. She was friendly, but still professional and told us she would be interviewing us and also said we could warm up in her office since I had commented on how COLD it was in the waiting room (she agreed it's always cold in there and I was shivering).

When we got to her office she asked us to remain standing to swear under oath to tell the truth. Then we sat down and she opened up my large file which from what I could tell contained my I-130, I-129F, consulate documents, I-485 and I-765. She asked me to confirm my address (I had moved and filed AR-11 but her file showed my old address) and wrote down the new one. She then asked to see my passport and my husband's ID (he had his DL and his passport), confirmed his DOB (not mine) and checked it off on her list and gave his ID back to him and started to look through my passport. She commented on how many staples were in the I-94 and I laughed and told her that I did that because I didn't want to lose it. She removed it, looked at it again and said, "I usually take these out but since yours is good until 2009, I'll leave it in there". I didn't know how to take this because I know that when they remove the I-94, it's a good sign usually but she had a point that my I-94 was still good... I also mentioned I had an EAD and if she'd like to see that but she declined saying that she didn't need it.

She mentioned that she had my medical and flipped through my file(s) looking for a copy of my marriage certificate saying that she knew it was in there somewhere (FWIW, there's a copy in each of my applications so there was at least 4 in there). I told her I had the original but she said she didn't need to see it and found the copy. She then confirmed our date of marriage and then asked us about how we met, who approached who, where did it go from there, did we plan to get married ahead of time or was it spur of the moment, etc. I tend to talk a lot so at one point she asked my husband to continue the story. She also asked questions about whether we had met each others families. After each approximate date we gave she jotted down a short timeline on her sheet of paper.

After those questions she asked me paraphrased versions of some (not all) of the "yes/no" questions on the I-485... looked me straight in the eye and didn't look away as she was asking me them. Kind of intimidating... I seriously felt like I was being interrogated, but I answered them.

She loosened up after those questions were done and asked for evidence of a bonafide marriage. She said she didn't need the originals to go through, just copies and she would ask if she needed to see the originals. I handed her a pack of photos first and she only asked about the first one, "Who are they?" and I answered who they were (mutual acquaintances) and then she seemed pretty uninterested flipping through them and didn't ask who anyone else was (I did narrate through them) or when/where they were taken. Next was paperwork showing joint finances, bills, etc. After each item she circled where our names appeared. She also briefly skimmed through the letters I brought from mutual friends and family marking who they were to us. She did not ask to see originals.

I asked if she needed anything else and she said she would take whatever I had. I mentioned I had flight itineraries from all our visits after marriage to see each other but then somehow the conversation changed to her mentioning that because we have been married for less than 2 years we would need to file for removal of conditions if approved and how to go about that and that I might get called for an interview at that time again and would require evidence of ongoing bonafide marriage during that time (she mentioned not to bring EVERY bill... just one of each type probably because I had multiple bills and bank statements with me). She then said that she would review my files again later in the day and I would hear within two weeks whether my case was approved, denied or if she was going to request more evidence and what that evidence would be. She asked if I had any questions and I asked her if there was anything else she needed from me. She said no, but if there was, she would let me know within 2 weeks. I was tempted to ask her about if my namecheck was clear but I made the assumption that it was since she said I would hear from her within 2 weeks.

She did not ask to see anything else... nothing related to the I-864, none of my personal documents such as my birth certificate. Never requested originals of anything (probably because there's already 4 copies of my documents in my files!).

We then thanked her for her time, I shook her hand and she walked us out. I was disappointed that she couldn't give us a decision right away so of course all sorts of things were going through my head about what went wrong (really, nothing from my standpoint) and what went right (that she was going to take the I-94). The entire interview lasted no more than 15 minutes.

We got home hours later and I went to check my online status...

Application Type: I485, APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS

Current Status: Card production ordered.

On August 23, 2007, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you. If we need something from you we will contact you. If you move before you receive the card, call customer service. You can also receive automatic e-mail updates as we process your case. Just follow the link below to register.

And then I did the happy dance.

Thank you VJ for everything. Don't think I could have done any of this without this site. And special thanks for all the support to my Canadian, honourary Canadian and refugee Canadian friends here too.

Edited August 24, 2007 by misa

[misa 2]

Forgot to mention, she did not ask for a TB skin test.

[Krikit 1,163]

special thanks for all the support to my Canadian, honourary Canadian and refugee Canadian friends here too.

Congratulations Misa!!!!!

[archie07 0]

Congratulations

[JA Tam 7]

Congratulations

[Nancy2015 2]

Congrats!!! :dance:

[Emancipation 2]

Great review.. and GREAT news about the card production!!!

[Allie 5]

Congrats Misa and thanks for the great review

[jezz85 0]

Congratulations!!!!

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us!

[~*Maria*~ 1]

Congratulations Misa

[jg_am 0]

Congrats again, Misa! Yeah, I congratulated you in the Canuck forum, but you can never have too many kudos! By the way, they were/are a good granola snack.

[vanee 13]

Congratulations, and thanks for the detailed review.

[SirLancelot 1]

Misa, you little devil! The way you wrote your long review, it certainly made it sound like it was going to end on a neutral and uncertain note. But then you pull the email out. Bah! Sneaky!

Congrats!

[essjay 0]

Great review, thanks for the detail. Loved the twist at the end

Congratulations and Good Luck for the future...

[Carlawarla 1]

Hey misa congratulations! We Canadians rocked on our AOS interviews this week!

Carla